Perfectionist Politics is the story of an important, but
overlooked, antebellum reform movement: ecclesiastical
abolitionism. Douglas M. Strong examines those radical evangelical
Protestants who seceded from proslavery denominations and
reorganized themselves into independent antislavery congregations.
Mirroring political abolitionist activity -- particularly in the
"burned-over district" of New York State -- the ecclesiastical
abolitionists formed a network of abolition churches and became the
primary focus of Liberty Party electioneering strategy.
Ecclesiastical abolitionists justified this clear connection
between church and state through the ethical experience of
evangelical perfectionism. A vote for the Liberty Party became a
mark of one's holiness. Perfectionist concepts also provided
ecclesiastical abolitionists with a theological compass that
enabled them to steer a middle course between two poles of U.S.
democratic society -- the need for institutional structure on one
hand and the desire for greater individual liberty on the
other.
Strong contends that Liberty Party politics can be understood
only as part of a broader perfectionist religious culture and
specifically as an antebellum reflection of the popularized
theological principle of "entire sanctification".
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!